Chapter 1
Breaking the stone mold
Chapter 2
The bronze boy who shocked Florence
Chapter 3
Riding high in Padua
Chapter 4
The raw beauty of old age
YOUR GOAL
Master of How Donatello carved human souls into stone
Ch 1 · Breaking the stone mold
andy Schiacciato Relief Sculpture
Just a millimeter of stone, and the shadows paint an endless view.
andy He carved St. George Freeing the Princess using a flattened relief called schiacciato, mimicking painters to suggest vast
Fun Fact
Egg drop disaster: When Donatello saw Brunelleschi's rival crucifix, he was so shocked he dropped an entire apron full of eggs.
Glossary
contrapposto (noun)
An asymmetrical arrangement of the human body in which weight is shifted onto one leg. Donatello reintroduced this classical stance in his 1413 marble statue of Saint Mark for Florence's Orsanmichele.
An asymmetrical arrangement of the human body in which weight is shifted onto one leg. Donatello reintroduced this classical stance in his 1413 marble statue of Saint Mark for Florence's Orsanmichele.
Quiz
Which ancient Greek pose, featuring asymmetrical weight distribution, did Donatello revive for his statue of St. Mark?
Quiz
What material did Donatello use to carve his famous heroic statue of St. George around 1415?
Quiz
Which biblical king did Donatello carve in marble in 1408, long before his famous bronze version?
Quiz
In 1402, Donatello traveled to Rome with which famous architect friend to study ancient ruins?
Quiz
Why did the locals in Rome mistake Donatello and his friend Brunelleschi for treasure hunters in 1402?